People in coal country are pleading for help as the coal industry nears the end of its long decline. This week on Inside Appalachia, we explore the economic and health impacts coal has had on communities in Appalachia. We’ll talk about the past and the future of this industry through the lens of its labor history to its future amid tough talks about the world’s climate crisis. And, we’ll meet a woman who entered the male-dominated coal industry. She tells us why she stayed, despite resistance from her family.

Looking Back And Pointing Ahead At The Future of Coal Mining in Appalachia

Inside Appalachia tells the stories of our people, and how they live today. The show is an audio tour of our rich history, food, music and culture.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

This week, the woman behind the popular tik tok account “Appalachian Forager” makes jam from wild pawpaws … and jewelry from coyote teeth.We also talk with the hosts of a new podcast that looks at coal dust exposure beyond the mines, affecting people far downstream from Appalachia. And, in some places, slavery continued in different forms well after the end of the Civil War. A new marker in Western North Carolina acknowledges that history and commemorates a disaster that killed 19 Black prisoners. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

The Appalachian Forager And Crosswinds, Inside Appalachia

For nearly a century, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival has staged a formal dance. We visit the festival and learn about a manual that’s been passed down for generations.Also, abortion is illegal in most cases in Tennessee. A photographer spent a year following one mother who was denied an abortion. And we talk to Marshall University professor and poet Sarah Henning about her latest book, Burn. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

The Grand March And A Year After A Denied Abortion, Inside Appalachia

This week, rock climbers with disabilities have found a home in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, which offers some pumpy crags.

Climbers have also been working to make West Virginia's New River Gorge more inclusive.

And a master craftsman, who makes one of a kind whitewater paddles remembers some advice.

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

Encore: The Climbing Climate And Paddle Making, Inside Appalachia

This week, a chef has created a hidden culinary hot spot in Asheville, North Carolina that’s attracting national attention for its eclectic menu and Filipino hospitality. 

Also, every thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) begins with a first step. Famed hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis shares hers.

And the holy month of Ramadan ends with a feast. But war and famine in Gaza muted some of this year’s celebrations.

We'll have these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

Filipino Hospitality In Asheville And Famed Thru-Hiker Shares Journey, Inside Appalachia

In March, broadcast journalists from Virginia and West Virginia were recognized when the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters met to present awards for notable stories produced in 2023.

This week, we listen back to some of our award-winning stories.

Looking Back And Pointing Ahead At The Future of Coal Mining in Appalachia

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